Corn-harvester



(No Model.) 3 Sheetsf-Sheet 1, W. K. ALIGrGE'IT.

CORN HARVESTER.

No. 509,229. Patented Nov. 21, 1893 No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W.- K. LIGGETT. CORN HARVESTER..

No. 509,229. Patented N0v. 21,1893.

ma coMPANv 3 Sheets-'Sheet 3. W. K. LIGGETT.

(No Model.)

CORN HARVESTER.

No. 509,229. Paten-ted Nov.v 21, 1893.

4 l f l f l l l l l l l l l d /f IIIIIIIIIIHHIrf UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM K. LIGGETT, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

CORN-HARVESTER.

SlliCIllFIfJfATIONA forming part of Letters Patent No. 509,229, dated November 21', 1893.

i Application tiled December 27, 1892. Serial No. 456.376. (No model).

` Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Harvesters; and I do hereby declarev the following to be a full, clear, and, exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains, to make and use the same.

This invention relates to corn harvesters and particularly to the shock forming mechanism, wherebya series of shocks are gradually built upon arevolving table, and successively subjectedto a yielding pressure, whereby the shock is compacted and held in the shock forming compartment until it reaches the desired size after which it. is bound and deposited upon the ground.

The improvement consists of a revolving table provided with a series of shock forming compartments.

Theimprovement also consists in combining with a revolving table having a series of shock sage and retaining them in the shock forming" compartment. Y

The improvement also further consists in having the yielding arms of holders curved in the direction of their length and made longer than the radius of the shock forming table whereby the number of holders may be less than'the number of shock formingcompartments and one or more of the holders will extendv across a shock forming compartmen-t at the same instant.

The improvement still further consists of the novel features and the peculiar construction and combination of the partswhich will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and which are shown in the annexed away to show the lower reel arms.

X X of Fig. 2 to show the shock forming table and the rrelative disposition of the co-operating parts. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the machine, the upper portion of the derrick being broken away, and some of the upper reel arms having their outer portion broken Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the machine, parts being broken away. Fig. 4 is a detail View of the crank shaft for actuating the gathering arms.

The platform 3 is in the same plane throughout its length and breadth and is supported at its front end on the caster wheel 2 and near its rear end by the wheels 4 which are mounted on the ends of the axle 5 which is journaled in suitable bearings provided on the longitudinal beams or sills of the platform. The wheels 4 are loosely mounted on the ends of the axle 5 and are caused to revolve with said aXle by means of the usual ratchet and pawl mechanism common in the class of agricultural implements.

The frame 6 in the lower end of which the caster wheel 2 is jonrnaled is provided with a clevis 7 and is vertically adjustable on a turn post 8 that is mounted in suitable brackets projected from the frame of the machine. Triangular shaped guards l extend forward from the front end of the machine and form passage ways A between their inner sides and a frame 9 which is projected vertically from the front end of the platform. The knives 2 are-located at the inner ends of the passage ways A and extend obliquely to cut the stalks by the shear cut.

The frame 9 is cylindrical in shape at its sides and forward portion and has a tapering extension l0 at its rear side. The walls of this tapering extension l0 are formed on the arcs of circles whose centers coincide with the axes of the reel shafts 20, so that the ends of the reel arms 58 will approach close to said v curved walls and carry or move the'stalks to the curve passages B B. The passages B B communicate at their forward ends with the passage ways A and terminate at their inner or lrear ends in a common passage or chamber C which is about twice the capacity of roo d either of the passages B. The passage or chamber C curves to one side at its delivery end to properly present the stalks so as to be readily taken up by the walls or partitions 57 constituting the sides of the shock forming coinpartments. The delivery end of the chamber or passage C is wholly to one side of the longitudinal center of the machine so that the stalks will be readily taken up by the shock forming compartments. The delivery end of the chamber or passage C is closed by a yielding support or spring 54 which is fastened at one end, as shown at 55, and is free at its opposite end, as shown at 66, to yield to permit the stalks to pass into the shock forming compartment from the chamber or passage C. The purpose of this yielding arm or spring 54 is to support the stalks in an erect position and prevent them from falling into a shock vforming compartment in a slanting position.

The reels, one being provided to move the stalk to each passage B, are located within housings 11 which constitute the outer walls of the passages B and are composed of vertical shafts 2O having reel arms 53 on their upper ends and sprocket wheels 21 at their lower ends around which the drive chain 22 passes. The inner portions of the housings 11 form the walls of the passage or chamber C and form guards for the reel arms to pass behind as they become gradually disengaged from the stalks.

The gathering arms 12 extend horizontally and have their ends constructed to move the stalks through the passages A and are provided with auxiliary tines 13 at their ends to supplement their actions. These gathering arms are pivotally attached midway of their ends to vibrating arms 14land are actuated by means of a crank shaft 15 which has its crank portions journaled in bearings provided near one end of the gathering arms.

The crank shaft -15 is suitably journaled within the frame 9 and is provided at its lower end with a sprocket wheel 16 around which the drive chain 22 passes. There are two sets of gathering arms, an upper and a lower set and the crank shaft is provided with two sets of crank arms, one at each end, for the purpose of actuating the gathering arms.

The shock forming table 17 is mounted on a vertical spindle 18 which is projected from a casting 19 attached to and supported by transverse beams 23, and is provided with a series of shock forming compartments provided between the vertical septums or partitions 57. These septums or partitions 57 have their outer ends 58 curved for the purpose of engaging with and gathering in the stalks from the delivery end of the passage or chamber C. The inner ends of the partitions 57 are attached to a tubular portion 24 which tapers slightly at its upper end. The beveled gear 52 is provided with a hub portion 2G which is inserted in the lower end of the tubular portion 24 and secured thereto by rivets or other fastening devices, and with a tubular bearing portion 27 which is mounted on the spindle 18. This beveled gear 52 meshes with a beveled pinion 28 on the axle 5 and is driven thereby. The table 17 inclines from its center to the outer edge as shown most clearly in Figs. 1 and 3 to give the butt end of the shock a depressed form at its center.

The yielding arms or holders 60 are mounted on vertical standards 29 and have their inner or free ends projected across the shock forming compartments by means of springs 61 which are mounted on the standards 29 andhave one end engage with the said arms or holders 60. These arms or holders curve throughout their length in the same direction and are considerably longer than the radius of the shock forming table and areadapted to extend across the shock forming compartments and compress the stalks therein and retain the said shock inposition until theshock has reached the required proportions. By this construction of the yielding arms or holders 60 the latter may be provided with less number than the number of shock forming compartments and perform the office for which they are designed. These arms or holders 60 are arranged to operate in a plane between the upper and lower edges of the partitions 57 and to admit of their eflcient operation said partitions or septums 57 are cut away at their outer ends, the cut away portion extending nearly to the inner ends of the said partitions as shown most clearly in Figs. 1 and 3 forming clet'ts 58. l

The mechanism for temporarily binding the shock after the same has been formed and depositing upon the ground consists of a swinging derrick 30 having a windlass 31 at one side on which are adapted to wind ropes or cords A32 and 33 which pass over suitable guide pulleys on a cross beam composing the derrick, a spool 35 journaled in a bale 36 attached to the lower end of the rope or cord 32, a ring 34 attached to the lowerend of the rope or cord 32, ropes or cords 36ai and 37 adapted to wind upon the spool 35, the rope or cord 37 being attached to the ring 34 and the rope or cord 36a having a ring 38 at its free end, and a bar 39 pointed at one end and having a handle at the opposite end and adapted to be thrust through the spool 35 for the purpose of rotating the latter and winding up the cords 362L and 37 on the spool' 35.l

IOO

IIO

around the shock in opposite directions and the rings 34 and 38- overlapped and the bar 39 is thrust through the shock the point passing through the rings 34 and 38 thereby hold- I ing the same together. The bar 39 is rotated to tighten the cords 36a and 37 about the shock. The shock being temporarily bound is elevated by operating the windlass 31. The shock is deposited on the ground by swinging the derrick 30 to the rear of the machine, the derrick being held in the required position by stops 40 at the outer ends of arms 41, and releasing the windlass 31. These arms 41 are provided with other stops 42 which engage with the side standards lof the derrick to hold the latter in a vertical position, and

are adapted tobeswung outward to disengage the said stops from the derrick when it is desired to move the latter from either of its two positions.

In the operation of the machine the stalks are gathered in the passages A by means of the gathering arms 12 and are carriedby said arms to the curved passages B B through which they are. moved and packed into the passage or chamber C by means of the reels hereindescribed. One of the reels forces the stalks from the passage or chamber C into such a position where they will be taken up by the curved ends 58 of the partitions 57 constituting the Walls of the shock forming compartments.- The stalks thus taken up are forced to the inner ends of the shock forming compartment by the holders or yielding arms which in turn act on the stalks and compress the same in the shock forming compartments. As soon as the shock reaches the required. dimensions the machine is stopped and the shock is bound and deposited upon the ground in the manner herein stated.

The drive chain 22 for imparting motion to the reels and the crank shaft for actuating the reel arms, receives its motion from a sprocket wheel 44 which is conveniently journaled to a portion of the platform and which is provided on its upper side with a beveledV gear 43 that meshes with the beveled pinion 45 on the axle 5. Obviously, as the axle 5 is rotated the shock forming table 17 will be rotated and the drive chain 22 actuated to impart motion to the reels and gathering arms.

There will be an upper and a lower set of reel arms 53 to correspond With the upper and the lower set of gathering arms. The corresponding upper and lower reel arms will be in the same vertical plane and will be caused to revolve in harmony with the gathering arms in such a manner that one of the reel arms comes into the chamber C immediately after each of the gathering arms has attained the limit of its backward movement. In the present instance the drawings show four reel arms and double cranks; hence the reel would need to revolve once While the double crank made two. revolutions so that said reel arms may engage the stalk just where and when left by the gathering arms.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Ina corn harvester the combination with the cutting and gathering mechanism, of a shock forming table inclining from the center toward the edges, and having a slightly tapering tubular center, and having a series of septums radiating from the said tubular center portion to form a series of shock forming compartments, and means for rotating said table, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a corn harvester the combination with a rotatable shock forming table, of vertical partitions dividing said table into a series of shock forming compartments, the outer ends of said partitions being curved, substantially 7o as described for the purpose set forth.

3. In a corn harvester the combination with a rotatable shock forming table provided with a series of compartments, of a series of yield` ing arms or holders to retain the stalks in said' 7 5 compartments and gradually compact them, substantially as set forth.

4. In a corn harvester the combination with a rotatable table having a series o f shock,

forming compartments, of a series of yielding 8o arms or holders constructed to compress the stalks and retain the same in position in the shock forming compartments, said arms or holders being longer than the radius of the said table, substantially as described for the purpose set forth.

5. In a corn harvester the combination with a rotatable shock forming table having a series of compartments, of a series of yielding arms or holders curved in the direction of 9o their length and made longer than the radius of the said table, substantially as described for the purpose specified.

6. In a corn harvester the combination with a rotatable shock forming table provided with a series of vertical partitions to form a series of compartments, and having the outer ends of said partitions curved in the same direction, of a series of yielding arms or holders curved in their length in an opposite direcroo tion to the curved ends of the said partitions, and made longer than the radius of the said table, substantially as set forth.

7. In a corn harvester the combination with the shock forming table, and a swinging derx05 rick provided with shock elevating and binding mechanism, of yielding arms provided with stops to engage with the side standards of the said derrick and hold the latter in a vertical and inclined position, substantially 11o as described for the purpose specified.

S. In a corn harvester having oppositely curved passages B B, and the passage or chamber C having its delivery end curved to one side of the longitudinal center of the mar 15 chine, the combination of reels concentric with the curved passages B B and adapted to move the stalks through said passages and the passage C, and a rotatable table having a series of shock forming compartments to rer zo lceive the stalks for the said passage C, substantially as set forth.

9. The herein described corn harvester having the passages A A the oppositely curved passages B B, the passage or chamber C comr2 5 municating with the said passages B B and having the delivery end curved to one side of a longitudinal center of the machine, cutting and gathering mechanism,` reels concentric with the curved passages B B for moving 13o thestalks through the said passages and the passage C, a yieldingsupport at the delivery end ofthe passage C, a rotatable table provided with series of Vertical partitions forming compartments and having the outer ends of said partitions curved and provided with cleft's 58, yielding arms or holders 60 curved in the direction of their length, and made longer than the radius of said table, and a swinging derrick provided with shock elevating and binding mechanism, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM K. LGGETT.

Witnesses:

IsoM FINLEY, J oHN CROWE. 

